, 1887-12-08
FLESH TURNED INTO STONE.
Curious Cases of Fertilization In the BIac
HIlls Country-WIId BiII,s Corpse.

Curious Cases of Fertilization In the Black
Hills Countrywide Bits Corpse.
Dakota Is truly a marvellous and won
derful country. Not only wonderful in
mineral and agricultural resources, but 1t
abounds in geological formations that af-
ford constant surprise and study for the
student in this most interesting science.
The Bad Lands, located seventy miles
southeast of this place, ave no equal on
this continent as a receptacle for petrifac-
tions of amphibious animals The pecu-
liarity OF the soil transforms flesh INTO
stone, but this power is not confined to
the soil CT the Bad Lands, but exists In
many localities in the Black hills. A case
has just come TO the knowledge OF your
correspondent hat has never been made
public, n proves that many bodies
buried in the hills have turned to stone.
The case at hand is that OF a little son of
Mr.. Eugene Holcomb, n prominent citizen
of Rapid City. Some years ago the boy
died and was buried In a spot not set aside
for general burying purposes. When the
city grew and a cemetery was selected
MIR. Holcomb had a large monument
erected and the departed disinterred. The
family expected when the shovel of the
grave digger reached the casket it would
need replacing, and had made prepare
tions to that end.
The coffin was reached, and as the man
e~ndeayored to place a rope underneath to
twist 1t to the surface, he was surprised at
its great weight. Thinking it was the
narrow, contracted hole that reduced his
strength, he made several more efforts,
Uut only moved IL a few inches, and was
compelled to call for aid. Two men sue
ceeded in placing the o about the
casket, and with a hard pull it was brought
to the surface. An examination followed,
and upon the deceased being revealed it
was found that the body had turned, not
as the Scripture says, into dust, but
into solid rock. From n gentleman who
was present, and whose word can be re-
lied upon, 1t was learned that the parents
easily recognized the child. The body has
assumed q dark brown color, the features
slightly shrunken, and he compared it to
the appearance of q mummy. The eye
brows and hair were of a lighter hue,
while the hands looked perfect. 1t was
the most singular sight he had ever
witnessed, and only the sensitive feeling
Of the parents kept the matter from the
newspaper columns. The body was again
Inferred, and now rests peacefully in the
family lot for aught we know.
The strange transformation of this body
is not the only instance. The small num-
Der Of dead removed has not afforded an
opportunity to learn how common an oc.
currence this may be, but learned gentle
men tell me that when Gabriel blows his
bugle, or the disinterring of bodies be-
comes necessary in the Black Hills coun-
try, many will be found turned to stone.
The other instance related Is that OF Wild
Bill, murdered In Deadwood by Jack Call
ten years 6 Bill was buried on the
mount~in side, and the building OF resi-
dences compelled the unearthing Of his
hnnnQ What UNA fha GrrTffua ~ hfg
friends when they discovered that the
famous frontiersman was q solid stone
petrifed. This revelation may appear
strange to eastern readers, but here it Is
IN open secret.-Rapid City Cor. Milwau-
zee Journal.